Your future, our focus
Two quick early goals and blustery conditions saw the Northwest men’s soccer team falter in the Region IX quarterfinals, as the Trappers fell 4-0 on the road to No. 1 seed Casper College on Saturday.
Problems started early and often for Northwest (4-11-1) when a penalty was called for handling in the box for Casper College (14-3-1).
Jasper Van Halderen stepped up for the T-Birds and slotted it into the back of the net to give Casper the lead less than two minutes into the game.
A couple of minutes later Casper nearly doubled the lead, but the shot sailed just wide.
Just one minute later, Halderen doubled the lead for Casper on a fast break and made it 2-0.
Things went from bad to worse in the first half, when another penalty was called for Casper after a foul in the box.
This time Trapper keeper Inigo Chavarria Bezunartea guessed the right direction and made the save to keep the score 2-0.
Northwest continued to struggle heading into the wind, mustering one strong opportunity from a dangerous free kick late in the half.
The Trappers created more opportunities starting the second half through corners and free kicks, but it was again Casper that found a goal.
A free kick moved the ball up the sideline, and a low cross found a Casper attacker in the box to make it 3-0 early in the second half.
With the final score all but settled, the T-Birds added one more goal with 10 minutes left to cap off the performance at 4-0.
That loss concludes the Trappers’ season, in which an almost new roster doubled the win total of the 2021 team.